Game apparatus with board having differently colored game piece paths



Dec. 3, 1968 R. L SCHRIBER 3,414,264

GAME APPARATUS WITH BOARD HAVING DIFFERENTLY COLORED GAME PIECE PATHS Filed Dec.

fivyavme ,QWMQWAJcH/Q/BER United States Patent 3,414,264 GAME APPARATUS WITH BOARD HAVING DIFFERENTLY COLORED GAME PIECE PATHS Raymond L. Schriber, 16 Ferndale St., St. Paul, Minn. 55119 Filed Dec. 20, 1965, Ser. No. 514,938 2 Claims. (Cl. 273-134) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A game board having thereon a plurality of lengthwise extending, parallel, side-by-side strips of different colors with each strip being arranged into a file of squares and each strip having at each end thereof a starting square and a counting square on which starting and counting pieces repose, each counting piece having a blank face with the opposite face being marked with indicia, the indicia on each of the counting pieces of each set of counting pieces being different from those of the other counting pieces of the same set and each set of counting pieces having the same indicia thereon, and dice having faces of colors matching the colors of the playing strips for governing the movement of the playing pieces from end to end of each playing strip.

This invention relates to a game and more particularly relates to a game played on a game board which provides a unique combination of elements of chance.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a game board apparatus which combines color coded playing surfaces with movable playing pieces and fixed counting pieces in a unique arrangement which provides for a quick and ready understanding of the objects to be achieved by the game and the manner of playing such that the game is playable by almost any age group.

A further object of this invention is to provide a game apparatus which provides a unique combination of fixed playing pieces and movable playing pieces, the movement of each of the latter being confined to a color coded playing area and being governed by the appearance of the proper color on a thrown die, dice, or other random color selection device, such as might be achieved by a dial surrounded by a circle of dilferent colored sectors.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a game board apparatus which is particularly suitable to children of the age group of from three to eight, and which provides a ready procedure to both learn simple addition and identify colors while providing entertainment.

In general, the game apparatus comprising the invention includes a game board having a rectangular playing surface divided into six, parallel colored strips, which strips are divided into squares arranged in a file from one end of the board to the other. Associated with each colored strip are two movable playing pieces and two fixed counting pieces, one of each at the opposite ends of each color strip. The game is ideally set up for two players, although potentially playable by any number of players up to twelve, six players on each side of the board. The fixed counting pieces are each numbered or otherwise provided with indicia on one surface to distinguish them in value from one another while being blank on the other surface, to conceal the indicia. Along with these pieces and the game board is included a pair of dice, each of which has the six faces thereof colored to correspond to the six colors of the playing strips of the game board; while other random color selecting means than dice can be used, dice are preferred because they enhance the versatility of the game.

3,414,264 Patented Dec. 3, 1968 The invention will be explained in more detail in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a top view of the game apparatus looking down on the game board with the game pieces in position ready to play the game.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of one form which the movable playing pieces may take;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of one of the fixed counting pieces showing the opposite face thereof from the face shown on FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 4 is a view in perspective of a pair of dice having colored rather than numbered faces, the roll or throw of which controls the action of the game.

Referring first to FIGURE 1 of the drawing, there is illustrated a conventional form of rectangular game board 10 foldable into halves by a center hinge 12. Within the game board 10 on the top surface thereof there is provided a rectangular playing surface 14 composed of six lengthwise extending, parallel strips 16, the strips being illustrated an being of purple, blue, green, yellow, red, and brown colors respectively as viewed from left to right on the drawing. Of course, the colors maybe varied as desired, the ones depicted being chosen for simplicity of illustration. Spaced parallel lines 18 extend across the rectangular playing surface 14, parallel to the ends of the playing surface and uniformly spaced from one another, dividing each colored strip 16 into a file of colored squares 20.

At each end of the rectangular playing surface 14 of the board and spaced therefrom, the board is provided with a starting area 22 which comprises a transversely extending rectangle, the width of which is the same as that of the rectangular playing surface 14, the length, however, being very short. Each of the starting areas 22 is divided into 6 strips 24, which are in effect extensions of the six playing strips 16. Transverse line 26 divides each starting area 22 into a rank of starting squares 28 adjacent to playing area 14 and immediately therebehind a rank of counting squares 30, more remote from the playing surface 14. While the squares of the. starting area are shown as being of a neutral uniform color, they may, of course, be colored to match the colored playing strips 16 with which the particular starting strip 24 corresponds.

On each starting square 28 is placed a movable game or playing piece 32 which while illustratedas being of a color matching the playing strip with which it is associated, may be of a neutral color. There are two sets of playing pieces 32, one set at each end of the board with one playing piece 32 on each starting square 28 at each end of each strip 16.

On each counting square 30 at each end of the game board 10 is placed a counting piece 34 of a neutral color. There are two sets of counting pieces 34, one set at each end of the board. The counting pieces are in effect fixed game pieces which remain on the counting squares 30 while the playing pieces 32 are moved along the playing strips 16 of the playing area 14 of the game board 10. While the counting pieces 34 at each end of the game board 10 are illustrated as having blank faces exposed, as will be apparent from the description hereinafter the game may be played with the obverse faces of the counting pieces exposed.

As illustrated in FIGURE 2, each playing piece 32 may be a simple flat disc. It may, however, be of any desired configuration, the primary purpose of the shape being to distinguish the playing pieces 32 from the counting pieces 34.

As illustrated in FIGURE 3, each counting piece 34 is a simple rectangular fiat piece or block, the front face of which is provided with a number or other indicia 36 assigning a value to the counting piece, the back face thereof being blank as illustrated in FIGURE 1. The indicia may be the numbers from 1 to 6 on the counting pieces of each set for convenience, or any other indication of value may be indicated on the face of the counting pieces 34, so long as each of the counting pieces of each set of counting pieces is provided with a different value than are the other counting pieces of the set.

As illustrated in FIGURE 1 of the drawing, the playing pieces 32 and the counting pieces 34 are dimensioned to fit within the starting and counting squares 28 and 30, respectively.

In order to govern the playing of the game, a pair of dice are preferably used, as illustrated in FIGURE 4, each die 38 having one of the colors of the playing strips 16 of the rectangular playing surface 14 of the board on each of the faces thereof. Playing the game with a pair of dice is preferable to other means, 'but a single die can be used, as Well as a spinning type counter or other means which provides for a random selection of color at each players turn.

Assuming the game is played by two players for simplicity of illustration, the first player throws the dice and moves each game piece corresponding to the color of an exposed die face onto the first square of the playing strip 16 corresponding to the color. If both die faces are of the same color, the player moves two squares along the playing strip 16 corresponding to that color and gets another roll or throw of the dice.

When a players piece on a given colored strip 16 of the playing surface gets to the opponents first square of that color at the opposite end of the rectangular playing surface 14, then the opponents piece on the same color strip is removed from the board, the player first reaching the square at the opposite end of the strip 16 capturing a piece of his opponent which is on that strip, This player also captures the counting piece of his opponent.

The game is ended when each of the six playing strips 16 has been travelled from end to end by a playing piece.

The winner may be determined in a variety of ways, the most usual of which is to count a single point for each playing piece captured and the number of points revealed on each counting piece captured, the player having the highest total number of points being the winner. Thus, the mere travelling from end to end of the strips with the playing pieces usually is not sufficient to win the game, but a second element of chance comes in depending upon the arrangement of the counting pieces made by the players at the ends of the board, since it enters into the total score.

In the event there are more than two players and particularly when there are twelve players, six on each side, the random selection by each player of one of the counting pieces in the absence of knowledge on the part of the opponent of the value of the selected counting strip lends great interest to the game.

As will be noted from the description, the rules of the game are extremely simple and readily grasped by a child. Yet, the game provides a combination of the elements of chance by the arrangement and kind of playing pieces which because of its simplicity and random selectivity, provides entertainment for all age groups. Also, the game lends itself ideally to ready adaptation as a horse racing, auto racing, or other imaginative game, being capable of a change in identification simply by changing the shape of the playing pieces.

I claim:

1. A game apparatus comprising a game board having a rectangular playing surface thereon, said rectangular playing surface being composed of a series of lengthwise extending, parallel, side-by-side strips of different colors, there being six colored strips, each strip being arranged into a file of squares, two sets of playing pieces for movement from one end of each strip to the other, there being two playing pieces for each colored strip, and two sets of counting pieces for placement at opposite ends of the playing strips, there being two counting pieces for each colored strip, said counting pieces each having a blank back face and a front face marked with indicia to provide a value for the piece, the indicia on each piece of a set of counting pieces being different from those of the other counting pieces of the same set, the sets of counting pieces corresponding in their values to one another, and random color selection means matching the colors of said playing strips for governing the movement of the playing pieces from end to end of each playing strip, said game board having at each end thereof starting squares and counting squares, said playing pieces and said counting pieces being dimensioned to fit within said starting and counting squares respectively, there being a starting square and a counting square arranged in a file at each end of each strip of said playing surface.

2. The game apparatus of claim 1 wherein said color selection means comprise a pair of dice having colored faces matching the colors of said colored strips.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,579,327 4/1926 Knowles 273-134 2,794,642 6/1957 ONeill 273-134 FOREIGN PATENTS 43,662 2/1931 Denmark. 750,491 5/ 1933 France. 171,283 11/ 1921 Great Britain.

DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner. 

